Granulator

ABSTRACT

A granulating machine in which the rotor turns on a vertical axis and has teeth cooperating with vertically mounted stationary teeth to comminute material fed into the top of the granulator. In a preferred form, the rotor is movable vertically with respect to the stationary teeth to change the amount of cutting engagement of the rotor teeth with the stationary teeth. Suction means are provided for removing comminuted material at the base of the rotor.

United States Patent 1 1 Gotham 51 Jan. 16, 1973 s41 GRANULATOR 3,191,875 6/1965 Drinkwater ..241 300 x Invcntoh T. M0016 et al. 02726 A [73] Assignee: Cumberlandnfiigfiei'fiijiipmw Primary ExaminerGranville Y. Custer, Jr. I n H Attorney-Kenway, Jenney & Hildreth [22] Filed: March 18, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 125,502

[57] ABSTRACT [52] us. Cl. ..241/47, 241/259 A g a ating a h n in whi the rotor tu ns on a [51] Int. Cl ..B02c 18/12 vertical axis and has teeth cooperating with vertically [58] Field of Search ..241/47, 62, 257 R, 259, 291, mounted stationary teeth to comminute material fed 241/300 into the top of the granulator. In a preferred form, the rotor is movable vertically with respect to the stationa- [56] Re e ted ry teeth to change the amount of cutting engagement UNITED STATES PATENTS of the rotor teeth w1th the stat1onary teeth. Suct1or1 means are provlded for removmg commmuted maten- 615,811 12/1898 Cunningham ..241/257 R X al at the base of the rotor. 2,653,770 9/1953 Vicci ..241/259 X 3,459,38l 8/1969 Takahashi ..241/257 R X 15 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAH 16 I975 SHEET 1 UF 4 INVENTOR STANLEY T. GOTHAM ATTORNEYS PATENTEUJAN 16 ms 4 sum 2 [1F 4 INVENTOR STANLEY TJGOTHAM BY k ,JM V/ m ATTORNEYS PATENIEDJM! 16 I973 I 3.71 1'. 033

sum 3 or 4 I INVENTOP STANLEY T. GOTHAM ATTORNEYS PAIENTEIJJAN 16 ms v 3.711.033

SHEET u 0F 4 INVENTOR STANLEY T. GOTHAM ATTORNEYS GRANULATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The apparatus of this invention is used primarily for comminuting or granulating plastic resins to prepare them for use, for example, in plastic molding machines. In the art, such granulating machines have hitherto been such that the rotor thereof which has the fly knives is mounted on a horizontal axis, and the stationary bed knife or knives are also mounted horizontally. Material is fed horizontally into the machine for cutting by the cutting engagement between the rotary and horizontal knives. When the material is cut, it falls (or iscarried into) a chamber below the rotor, the bottom of the chamber being a screen which permits certain" sizes of the granulated material to fall therethrough, but retains larger sizes. These larger sizes are then carried by the action of air within the rotor chamber around the rotor to the place where they will be cut again, this action being repeated until all the material is cut fine enough to pass through the screen into a receiving chamber. From the latter, the comminuted material is conveyed to a desired location outside the granulator.

It is a common experience that because of the attrition which the particles of material experience during such cutting actions in the present granulators, the plastics heat and may become gummy. When this happens, the screen becomes plugged, and must be removed for cleaning. This results in downtime for the machine which of course is uneconomical.

Furthermore, with the prior art machines, it is not possible to adjust the machine to provide a preselected length of time of cutting. Such preselection is important, because not all synthetic plastic resins require the same amount of cutting. Therefore, it is desirable to have a machine which can be adjusted to cut the plastic material for a predetermined length of time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the general object of this invention to provide a vertical granulating machine in which the stock to be cut feeds downwardly through the machine during cutting, (instead of horizontally into the machine) and in which the longitudinal relationship of the fly knives with the stationary knives can be preadjusted, in order to govern the amount that stock will be cut in passing downwardly through the machine. In addition, by the vertical construction, a plurality of stationary knives may be arranged around the rotor of the machine instead of the usual single knife, therefore providing for a greater through-put of the materials per machine than is provided in the prior art machines. Means are provided for making the aforesaid adjustment of the longitudinal cutting engagement of the rotor knives with the stationary knives, depending upon the kind of plastic that is being cut and the fineness of cut desired. In the machine, vacuum or exhaust means are provided for removing the material from the machine as it emerges from the bottom of the cutting chamber, the material then to be transported by conventional means to a selected location.

Therefore, among the several objects and advantages of the invention may be noted the provision of the following:

An object of the invention is the provision of a vertical comminuting machine, in which the rotating knives rotate about a vertical axis and a plurality of stationary knives are vertically arranged about the rotor.

Yet another object of the invention is a machine of any of the above kinds, in which means are provided for adjusting to a predetermined longitudinal position the relationship of the rotor and its knives to the stationary knives along a vertical axis;

Another object of the invention is the provision of a machine of the above kind, in which variable suction means are provided below the cutting chamber of the machine in order to exhaust material which has already been cut;

Another object of the invention is a machine in which the particles being cut undergo a minimum of attrition during cutting.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a granulating machine is which means are provided for impeding the flow of material downwardly through the cutting chamber, and one in which access to the cutting chamber may easily had for the purposes of cleaning and blade adjustments.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which one of the various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated:

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation of a preferred embodiment of the machine;

FIG. 2 is a diagramatic plan view (reduced in size) taken in the direction of sight lines 2-2 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional plan view, partly in section, illustrating a portion indicated by the arc A-A on FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevation of a portion of the FIG. 1 machine, given to provide in greater detail certain features thereof; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional vertical elevation of another portion of the FIG. I machine, that is, the portion lying directly below the portion of FIG. 4.

Throughout the drawings, similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts. The dimensions of certain of the parts as shown in the drawings have been modified and/or exaggerated for the purpose of clarity of illustration and understanding of the invention, and it is also to be noted that the scale of the several views is not the same. For the purposes of understanding this description, the following scales are given based upon an actual machine which has beentested:

FIG. 1 is approximately 0.138 times the size of the machine; FIG. 2 is approximately 0.069 times the size thereof; FIG. 3 is approximately three-fourths the size thereof; and FIGS. 4 and 5 are each approximately onehalf the size of the machine. Of course, the above scale is only approximate, and it is within the skill of the experienced machine designer to use such dimensional values as are needed for a machine of a desired size, following the teaching of this disclosure.

Referring first to FIG. 1, a general vertical view in section of the apparatus of this invention is shown. A frame indicated generally by the numeral 1 is provided comprising four steel or cast iron plates 4, 6, 8 and 10 and a pedestal or stand indicated generally to make numeral 11. The several layers are supported in spaced vertical relation as shown by the framework, by the vertical corner angle irons 2.

Suspended in the frame (as described below) is a cylindrical casing 12. A motor 14 is mounted in casing 12 by supporting elements 16 which extend inwardly from casing 12 and are a part thereof. The shaft of the motor is coupled by means of the coupling 18 to the lower end of a rotor shaft 20, this being supported in casing 12 by the conventional bearings 22 and 24. Bearings 22 and 24 are held at each end of a sleeve 26 having flanges 28 and 30 which fit into casing 12, a suitable shoulder 31 being utilized for seating bearing 24. Bearing 22 is attached to the bottom of shaft and is a slide fit in sleeve 26. A collar and dust seal 32 serves to fasten the bearing assembly into sleeve 26 by bolts 34. The top flange 28 of the latter overlies the easing 12 and is fastened thereto by suitable bolts 36.v

Casing 12 is adapted to slide smoothly up and down in aligned holes 38 and 40 machined in support plates 8 and 10, the casing carrying with it, as it does, the motor 14, shaft 20, bearings 22 and 24, and other components. Casing 12 is prevented from rotating in holes 38 and 40 by means of a key 39 (bolted to plate 8) engaging a keyway 41in the wall of casing 12.

The rotor shaft 20 extends above casing 12 as shaft 42. Surrounding this shaft is a hollow cylindrical body 44 fitted into and supported by the plate 6. Body 44 acts as a discharge chamber for material emerging from the knives of the machine, and has an inner cavity 46 which is larger than the cutting rotor 48 of the machine and the shaft 42 in order to provide the discharge chamber. The collar 44 is suitably supported on the median plate 6 by means of the shouldered flange 50. The lower portion of the wall of collar 44 is provided with a plurality of exit holes 52 extending around the wall. Surrounding the wall and forming an air tight engagement therewith is a discharge collector 54, this being of conventional nature and terminating in the discharge port 56, from which air may be sucked, as by an impeller typeexhaust device (not shown).

In the upper portion thereof, flange 50 is provided with a plurality of holes or conduits 58 therethrough which terminate at holes 59 in the inner wall of chamber 46 to permit entrance of air into the chamber at the top portion thereof.

A thin metal band 106 is clamped by conventional means 108 around flange 50. A series of holes 107 in this metal band can be made either to align with, or partially align with, or completely block off holes 58 by rotating this band relative to the flange 50.

The wall of the collector chute 54 is provided with a hole 60, and a slidable cover 62 of conventional nature is provided for closing completely or partially the hole. By this means the amount of air actually sucked through the cutting chamber via discharge chute 54 may be governed. That is, if the hole 60 us open completely, less air is sucked through, as compared to 7 when it is closed completely by the cover 62.

Variations in the rate of air flow through the cutting chamber have an influence on the rate of material flow through the cutting chamber and thereby affect the size reduction obtained as the material passes downwardly between the cutting knives.

Shaft 42 is reduced in diameter to provide the neck 66, and on this is mounted the cylindrical cutting knife 48. The latter is provided with a plurality of teeth 68 on its periphery, and the cylinder is keyed to neck 66 by means of the key plate 70 which is fastened to the top of the rotor shaft by means of bolts 72. (see FIG. 4)

Surrounding the rotor assembly, and bolted at their lower ends to an upstanding flange 74 formed on collar 44, are the upright stationary blade supports 76. It will be noted (see FIG. 3) that on each side of the supports is firmly clamped the toothed stationary cutting blades 78 having teeth 79. These blades are clamped to the respective supports 76 by means of the bolts 80, these extending through the, blades via enlarged mounting holes 82 in order to provide clearance for adjustment of the blades. Clamp plates 84 are used to assist in clamping the blades to their supports, and each of these clamp plates is provided with the longitudinally extending crevice or slot 86.

Each of the blades 78 is adjusted by loosening the bolts and then using the draw bolts 88, which screw into threaded holes in the back face of the blades 78, in opposition to the push bolts 92 which abut the back faces and screw into threaded holes 94 in the blade holders 76. Once the correct adjustment is made, then the bolts 80 are tightened in order to clamp the blades in their adjusted position. Each blade is pro vided with two draw bolts and two push bolts (see FIG. 4).

Between each of the pairs of blades is provided a closure plate which is provided with a spring clip 102 mounted thereon for example by rivets. The free ends of the spring clips fit into the grooves or slots 86 which have been described above. The engagement is such that the spring pressure of the clips holds the closure plates 100 firmly seated against the inner edges of the clamping plates 84.

Each of the closure plates 100 is provided with an inwardly extending ledge 104 of metal, the function of which is to prevent too rapid a flow of material downwardly through the cutting chamber between the fly knives 68 and the stationary teeth 79. Additional ledges or impediments 105 may be provided on the blade mounts 76, if desired.

It is apparent to one skilled in the art that the adjustable stationary blades 78 are moved in and out with respect to the rotor teeth 68 until a proper cutting clearance therebetween is established. Thereafter, the stationary blades are clamped in position by means of the bolts 80. The clearance between the fly knives or teeth 68 and the stationary teeth 79 will be that dictated by the known skill and experience in the art.

Referring now to FIG. 1 again, means will now be described for adjusting the vertical or longitudinal relationship between the fly teeth or knives 68 and stationary teeth or knives 79: Casing 14 is supported by means ofa yoke whose arms 112 encompass casing 14 and are connected thereto by the links 116. The ends of arms 112 are pivoted on a shaft 118 journaled in bushings 120 welded to supports 2 on one side of the machine. In the leg of the yoke is rotatably mounted a bushing 124 having a threaded hole. Screwed into the hole is a threaded adjusting screw 126, the upper end of which is retained in a ball and socket joint 128 secured to plate 8. A wrench 130 engages the upper end of screw 126, and by turning the latter, casing 14 may be raised or lowered, thus shifting the vertical relationship of the rotor with respect to the stationary blades 78. Thus, the length of the cutting action on material may be controlled. If, for example, the rotor is moved up from its FIG. 1 position, the knives will have a longer timeto cut the material. If the rotor is adjusted to a lower position than that of FIG. 1, the length of cutting time is shortened.

As indicated above, cut material drops into the chamber 46 and must be removed therefrom so that the machine does not plug up. In the instant case, this is done by sucking air and thus material from the exit orifice 56. Usually, the main flow of air through the machine is from en'trance 144 down through cutting chamber and through chamber 46 into the chute 54 and out discharge port 56. With cover 62 closed and vent holes 58 closed, the maximum amount of air is drawn through the cutting chamber and retention time of material in the cutting chamber is at a minimum. If the openings at 60 and 58 are increased, there is less air drawn through the cutting chamber which increases the retention time of material in the cutting chamber and consequently results in finer granulation of the material. This allows a better control of heat sensitive material. I

It will be noticed that it is possible to pass the material through the machine just once, as compared to the many times that material will traverse the cutting chamber in conventional horizontal granulator before it can exit via the screen thereof. If it is desired to put cut material through the machine again, of course, this may be done. As a result, there is less heating of the plastic material in the instant machine than is the case in prior art machines.

In view of the finely pulverent nature of the material emerging from the machine, it is desirable that the bearing 24 be kept thoroughly clean. To this end, the collar and dust seal 32 fits smoothly around shaft 42, and is provided with an air inlet 132 which terminates at the shaft. Above collar 32 is attached a collar 134 which is spaced from collar 32 a distance 136. Air is forced into inlet 132 which moves upwardly along shaft 42 and exits via the space 136. This has been found to eliminate the entrance of dust or other materials deleterious to the bearing.

In similar fashion, an air inlet 137 is provided which feeds into the sleeve 139 below collector 54 and upwardly along the shaft, to minimize any emergence of dust along the shaft from the collector.

Surmounting the top plate 4 is a collar 140 into I which may be fitted an entrance chute 142-144 assembly by means of which material may be fed into the cutting chamber established between the rotor 28 and the stationary cutting blades 78. The collar 142 is fastened to plate 140 by bolts 146.

The top end portion of the rotor 48 is provided with a plurality of rabbets 146 to provide small entrance chutes to facilitate entrance of material into the cutting chamber between the rotor and the stationary blades.

The motor 12 is preferably of the hydraulically operated type, having the oil ingress and exit 148 and 150. A hydraulically operated motor is preferred due to the ease of controlling the speed of such a motor, and, thus, the cutting rate of the machine.

A machine has been constructed which works satisfactorily. Dimensions are as follows (approximate- Rotor diameter 8 inches Rotor length 8% inches Rotor teeth 72 Number of stationary knives 12 Teeth per knife 5 Motor horse power Motor speed 0-1300 rpm.

With the above parameters, approximately 500 pounds of lsinch cubes of plastic were processed per hour, single pass through the machine, at 1,200 rpm.

In view of the above it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

As many changes could be made in the above con structions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense, and it is also intended that the appended claims shall cover all such equivalent variations as come within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for granulating material comprising a base;

a rotor vertically supported on a rotor shaft on the base and rotatable about a vertical axis;

means for rotating the rotor;

a plurality of first cutting teeth carried by the rotor and extending longitudinally thereon;

a plurality of elongated stationary blades having second cutting teeth thereon, the blades being carried by elongated vertical support means mounted on the base about the rotor;

means for adjusting the relationship of first and second teeth generally redially with respect to each other to bring the teeth in close cutting radial relationship;

means for adjusting the vertical relationship between the first and second teeth to change the length of cutting relationship therebetween while maintaining constant the radial relationship of the first and second teeth;

a cutting chamber enclosing said first and secondary teeth and adapted to receive therein material to be granulated; and

means for removing granulated material from the bottom of the cutting chamber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 including means for feeding material to be granulated into the top of said cutting chamber.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 including means in said cutting chamber for retarding the flow of granulated material downwardly therein.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 in whichsaid means for adjusting the radial relationship of the first and second teethicomprises screw means for adjusting the position of said stationary blades with respect to the first cutting teeth.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 including means for feeding material to be cut into the top of said cutting chamber above said rotor, andmeans in said cutting chamber for retarding the fiow of granulated material downwardly therein, said means for adjusting the radial relationship of the first and second piece comprising screw means for adjusting said stationary blades with respect to said first cutting teeth.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said support means comprise a plurality of vertical support bars fixed to said base and equally spaced about the rotor, each stationary cutting blade being adjustably fastened onto one of said support bars, and including adjusting screws extending through each support bar horizontally and in such direction as to abut the back edges of said stationary blades, whereby motion of the adjusting screws inwardly will move said blades inwardly toward the first cutting teeth.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 in whichsaid chamber comprises at least in part said stationary blades, and said support bars, the apparatus including wall portions extending between said support bars and removably attached thereto independently of said cutting blades, said wall portionsv being removable in order to permit access to the interior of said chamber, and being at a predetermined fixed distance radially from said first teeth.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said rotor is mounted on a rotatable shaft carried by a third support movably mounted on said base, and in which the means for adjusting the vertical relationship between the first and second cutting teeth to determine the length of cutting relationship therebetween, comprises means for moving the third support up and down vertically, said last-named means comprising a U-shaped yoke surrounding the third support, said yoke being pivoted at the ends of its legs to the base at one side of the third support, and the bight of the yoke being adjustably movable in order to move the third support up and down.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the means for rotating the rotor is a hydraulically operated motor.

10. Apparatus for granulating material comprising a base;

a rotor vertically supported on a rotor shaft on the base and rotatable about a vertical axis;

means for rotating the rotor;

a plurality of first cutting teeth carried by the rotor and extending longitudinally thereon;

a plurality of elongated stationary blades having second cutting teeth thereon, the blades being carried by a plurality of vertical support bars fixed to said base and equally spaced about the rotor, each support bar being provided with means for supporting two of said stationary cutting blades, one on each side of a support bar, and including adjusting screws extending through each support bar horizontally and in such direction as to abut the back edges of said stationary blades, whereby motion of the adjusting screws inwardly will move said blades inwardly toward the first cutting teeth;

means for clamping the stationary knives in adjusted position;

means for adjusting the vertical relationship between the first and second teeth to change the length of cutting relationship therebetween while maintaining the radial relationship of the first and second teeth;

a cutting chamber enclosing said first and secondary teeth and adapted to receive therein material to be granulated; and

means for removing granulated material from the bottom of the cutting chamber.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said rotor comprises a cylindrical hub, a sleeve fitting over the hub and fastened thereto to rotate therewith, and said first teeth are formed on the outer periphery of said cylindrical sleeve.

12. Apparatus for granulating material comprising a base; i

a rotor vertically supported on a rotor shaft on the base and rotatable about a vertical axis;

means for rotating the rotor;

a plurality of first cutting teeth carried by the rotor and extending longitudinally thereon;

a plurality of elongated stationary blades having second cutting teeth thereon, the blades being carried by elongated vertical support means mounted on the base about the rotor;

means for adjusting the relationship of first and second teeth generally radially with respect to each other to bring the teeth in close cutting relationship;

means for adjusting the vertical relationship between the first and second teeth to change the length of cutting relationship therebetween;

a cutting chamber enclosing said first and secondary teeth and adapted to receive therein material to be granulated; and

means for removing granulated material from the bottomof the cutting chamber, the latter means including a cylindrical hollow body surrounding said rotor shaft and extending below the cutting chamber; a plurality of holes through the wall of said body and extending from the outside thereof to the inside; a collector chute surrounding said body on the other side; air inlets extending through the wall of the body immediately below the cutting chamber, said inlets extending from the outside to the inside of the body; and adjustable means for regulating the air flow through said cutting chamber, said air inlets, the interior of said body, and said exhaust chute thereby to regulate the flow of material downwardly in said cutting chamber.

13. Apparatus for granulating material comprising:

a base;

a rotor vertically supported on a rotor shaft on the base and rotatable about a vertical axis;

a motor for rotating the rotor;

a plurality of first cutting teeth carried on the periphery of the rotor and extending longitudinally thereon;

a plurality of elongated support bars vertically mounted on the base and encircling said rotor;

a plurality of elongated stationary knife blades each having second cutting teeth on one edge thereof, the blades being supported by said elongated support bars;

means for moving the stationary knife blades to bring the second cutting teeth into predetermined close cutting radial relationship to the first cutting teeth;

. a rotor shaft support means mounted on said base and vertically movable with respect thereto;

means for moving said rotor shaft support means and thus said rotor up and down with respect to said base while maintaining the radial relationship of the first and second cutting teeth in order to establish a predetermined longitudinal cutting relationship between the first and second teeth, and means for fixing the position of said rotor support means when said teeth are at said predetermined relationship;

walls extending between said vertical support bars and forming, together with said support bars and independently of said stationary knife blades, a cutting chamber, said walls being removable in order to permit access to the interior of said chamber, the latter being adapted to receive therein material to be granulated;

impediments in the cutting chamber for inhibiting the flow of granulated material downwardly therein;

means mounted on said base below said cutting chamber and surrounding the shaft of the rotor, said means including hollow interior constituting a receiving chamber for granulated material; and

means associated with said receiving chamber for removing granulated material from said chamber.

14. Apparatus for granulating material comprising:

a base;

a rotor vertically supported on a rotor shaft on the base and rotatable about a vertical axis;

a motor for rotating the rotor;

a plurality of cutting teeth carried on the periphery of the rotor and extending longitudinally thereon;

a plurality of elongated support bars vertically mounted on the base and encircling said rotors;

a plurality of elongated stationary knife blades each having second cutting teeth on one edge thereof, the blades being supported by said vertical support means;

means for moving the stationary knife blades to bring the second cutting teeth into predetermined close cutting relationship;

a rotor shaft support means mounted on said base and vertically movable with respect thereto;

means for moving said rotor shaft support means and thus said rotor up and down with respect to said base in order to establish a predetermined longitudinal cutting relationship between the first and second teeth, and means for fixing the position of said rotor support means when said teeth are at said predetermined relationship;

walls extending between said vertical support bars and forming, together with said support bars, a cutting chamber, said walls being removable in order to permit access to the interior of said chamber, the latter being adapted to receive therein material to be granulated;

impediments in the cutting chamber for inhibiting the flow of granulated material downwardly therein, said impediments constituting horizontal ledges mounted on said walls and protruding part way into the cutting chamber;

means mounted on said base below said cutting chamber and surrounding the shaft of the rotor, said means including hollow interior constituting a receiving chamber for granulated material; and

means associated with said receiving chamber for removing granulated material from said chamber.

15. Apparatus for granulating material comprising:

a base;

a rotor vertically supported on a rotor shaft on the base and rotatable about a vertical axis;

a motor for rotating the rotor;

a plurality of cutting teeth carried on the periphery of the rotor and extending longitudinally thereon;

a plurality of elongated support bars vertically mounted on the base and encircling said rotor;

a plurality of elongated stationary knife blades each having second cutting teeth on one edge thereof, the blades being supported by said vertical support means;

means for moving the stationary knife blades to bring the second cutting teeth into predetermined close cutting relationship;

a rotor shaft support means mounted on said base and vertically movable with respect thereto;

means for moving said rotor shaft support means and thus said rotor up and down with respect to said base in order to establish a predetermined longitudinal cutting relationship between the first and second teeth, and means for fixing the position of said rotor support means when said teeth are at said predetermined relationship; I

walls extending between said vertical support bars and forming, together with said support bars, a cutting chamber, said walls being removable in order to permit access to the interior of said chamber, the latter being adapted to receive therein material to be granulated;

impediments in the cutting chamber for inhibiting the flow of granulated material downwardly therein;

means mounted on said base below said cutting chamber and surrounding the shaft of the rotor, said means including hollow interior constituting a receiving chamber for granulated material; and

means associated with said receiving chamber for removing granulated material from said chamber, the latter means constituting air inlet holes at the top portion of said chamber and air outlet holes at the bottom portion of said chamber. 

1. Apparatus for granulating material comprising a base; a rotor vertically supported on a rotor shaft on the base and rotatable about a vertical axis; means for rotating the rotor; a plurality of first cutting teeth carried by the rotor and extending longitudinally thereon; a plurality of elongated stationary blades having second cutting teeth thereon, the blades being carried by elongated vertical support means mounted on the base about the rotor; means for adjusting the relationship of first and second teeth generally redially with respect to each other to brIng the teeth in close cutting radial relationship; means for adjusting the vertical relationship between the first and second teeth to change the length of cutting relationship therebetween while maintaining constant the radial relationship of the first and second teeth; a cutting chamber enclosing said first and secondary teeth and adapted to receive therein material to be granulated; and means for removing granulated material from the bottom of the cutting chamber.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 including means for feeding material to be granulated into the top of said cutting chamber.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 including means in said cutting chamber for retarding the flow of granulated material downwardly therein.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said means for adjusting the radial relationship of the first and second teeth comprises screw means for adjusting the position of said stationary blades with respect to the first cutting teeth.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 including means for feeding material to be cut into the top of said cutting chamber above said rotor, and means in said cutting chamber for retarding the flow of granulated material downwardly therein, said means for adjusting the radial relationship of the first and second piece comprising screw means for adjusting said stationary blades with respect to said first cutting teeth.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said support means comprise a plurality of vertical support bars fixed to said base and equally spaced about the rotor, each stationary cutting blade being adjustably fastened onto one of said support bars, and including adjusting screws extending through each support bar horizontally and in such direction as to abut the back edges of said stationary blades, whereby motion of the adjusting screws inwardly will move said blades inwardly toward the first cutting teeth.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 in which said chamber comprises at least in part said stationary blades, and said support bars, the apparatus including wall portions extending between said support bars and removably attached thereto independently of said cutting blades, said wall portions being removable in order to permit access to the interior of said chamber, and being at a predetermined fixed distance radially from said first teeth.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said rotor is mounted on a rotatable shaft carried by a third support movably mounted on said base, and in which the means for adjusting the vertical relationship between the first and second cutting teeth to determine the length of cutting relationship therebetween, comprises means for moving the third support up and down vertically, said last-named means comprising a U-shaped yoke surrounding the third support, said yoke being pivoted at the ends of its legs to the base at one side of the third support, and the bight of the yoke being adjustably movable in order to move the third support up and down.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the means for rotating the rotor is a hydraulically operated motor.
 10. Apparatus for granulating material comprising a base; a rotor vertically supported on a rotor shaft on the base and rotatable about a vertical axis; means for rotating the rotor; a plurality of first cutting teeth carried by the rotor and extending longitudinally thereon; a plurality of elongated stationary blades having second cutting teeth thereon, the blades being carried by a plurality of vertical support bars fixed to said base and equally spaced about the rotor, each support bar being provided with means for supporting two of said stationary cutting blades, one on each side of a support bar, and including adjusting screws extending through each support bar horizontally and in such direction as to abut the back edges of said stationary blades, whereby motion of the adjusting screws inwardly will move said blades inwardly toward the first cutting teeth; means for clamping the staTionary knives in adjusted position; means for adjusting the vertical relationship between the first and second teeth to change the length of cutting relationship therebetween while maintaining the radial relationship of the first and second teeth; a cutting chamber enclosing said first and secondary teeth and adapted to receive therein material to be granulated; and means for removing granulated material from the bottom of the cutting chamber.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said rotor comprises a cylindrical hub, a sleeve fitting over the hub and fastened thereto to rotate therewith, and said first teeth are formed on the outer periphery of said cylindrical sleeve.
 12. Apparatus for granulating material comprising a base; a rotor vertically supported on a rotor shaft on the base and rotatable about a vertical axis; means for rotating the rotor; a plurality of first cutting teeth carried by the rotor and extending longitudinally thereon; a plurality of elongated stationary blades having second cutting teeth thereon, the blades being carried by elongated vertical support means mounted on the base about the rotor; means for adjusting the relationship of first and second teeth generally radially with respect to each other to bring the teeth in close cutting relationship; means for adjusting the vertical relationship between the first and second teeth to change the length of cutting relationship therebetween; a cutting chamber enclosing said first and secondary teeth and adapted to receive therein material to be granulated; and means for removing granulated material from the bottom of the cutting chamber, the latter means including a cylindrical hollow body surrounding said rotor shaft and extending below the cutting chamber; a plurality of holes through the wall of said body and extending from the outside thereof to the inside; a collector chute surrounding said body on the other side; air inlets extending through the wall of the body immediately below the cutting chamber, said inlets extending from the outside to the inside of the body; and adjustable means for regulating the air flow through said cutting chamber, said air inlets, the interior of said body, and said exhaust chute thereby to regulate the flow of material downwardly in said cutting chamber.
 13. Apparatus for granulating material comprising: a base; a rotor vertically supported on a rotor shaft on the base and rotatable about a vertical axis; a motor for rotating the rotor; a plurality of first cutting teeth carried on the periphery of the rotor and extending longitudinally thereon; a plurality of elongated support bars vertically mounted on the base and encircling said rotor; a plurality of elongated stationary knife blades each having second cutting teeth on one edge thereof, the blades being supported by said elongated support bars; means for moving the stationary knife blades to bring the second cutting teeth into predetermined close cutting radial relationship to the first cutting teeth; a rotor shaft support means mounted on said base and vertically movable with respect thereto; means for moving said rotor shaft support means and thus said rotor up and down with respect to said base while maintaining the radial relationship of the first and second cutting teeth in order to establish a predetermined longitudinal cutting relationship between the first and second teeth, and means for fixing the position of said rotor support means when said teeth are at said predetermined relationship; walls extending between said vertical support bars and forming, together with said support bars and independently of said stationary knife blades, a cutting chamber, said walls being removable in order to permit access to the interior of said chamber, the latter being adapted to receive therein material to be granulated; impediments in the cutting chamber for inhibiting the flow of granulated materiaL downwardly therein; means mounted on said base below said cutting chamber and surrounding the shaft of the rotor, said means including hollow interior constituting a receiving chamber for granulated material; and means associated with said receiving chamber for removing granulated material from said chamber.
 14. Apparatus for granulating material comprising: a base; a rotor vertically supported on a rotor shaft on the base and rotatable about a vertical axis; a motor for rotating the rotor; a plurality of cutting teeth carried on the periphery of the rotor and extending longitudinally thereon; a plurality of elongated support bars vertically mounted on the base and encircling said rotors; a plurality of elongated stationary knife blades each having second cutting teeth on one edge thereof, the blades being supported by said vertical support means; means for moving the stationary knife blades to bring the second cutting teeth into predetermined close cutting relationship; a rotor shaft support means mounted on said base and vertically movable with respect thereto; means for moving said rotor shaft support means and thus said rotor up and down with respect to said base in order to establish a predetermined longitudinal cutting relationship between the first and second teeth, and means for fixing the position of said rotor support means when said teeth are at said predetermined relationship; walls extending between said vertical support bars and forming, together with said support bars, a cutting chamber, said walls being removable in order to permit access to the interior of said chamber, the latter being adapted to receive therein material to be granulated; impediments in the cutting chamber for inhibiting the flow of granulated material downwardly therein, said impediments constituting horizontal ledges mounted on said walls and protruding part way into the cutting chamber; means mounted on said base below said cutting chamber and surrounding the shaft of the rotor, said means including hollow interior constituting a receiving chamber for granulated material; and means associated with said receiving chamber for removing granulated material from said chamber.
 15. Apparatus for granulating material comprising: a base; a rotor vertically supported on a rotor shaft on the base and rotatable about a vertical axis; a motor for rotating the rotor; a plurality of cutting teeth carried on the periphery of the rotor and extending longitudinally thereon; a plurality of elongated support bars vertically mounted on the base and encircling said rotor; a plurality of elongated stationary knife blades each having second cutting teeth on one edge thereof, the blades being supported by said vertical support means; means for moving the stationary knife blades to bring the second cutting teeth into predetermined close cutting relationship; a rotor shaft support means mounted on said base and vertically movable with respect thereto; means for moving said rotor shaft support means and thus said rotor up and down with respect to said base in order to establish a predetermined longitudinal cutting relationship between the first and second teeth, and means for fixing the position of said rotor support means when said teeth are at said predetermined relationship; walls extending between said vertical support bars and forming, together with said support bars, a cutting chamber, said walls being removable in order to permit access to the interior of said chamber, the latter being adapted to receive therein material to be granulated; impediments in the cutting chamber for inhibiting the flow of granulated material downwardly therein; means mounted on said base below said cutting chamber and surrounding the shaft of the rotor, said means including hollow interior constituting a receiving chamber for granulated material; and means associated with said rEceiving chamber for removing granulated material from said chamber, the latter means constituting air inlet holes at the top portion of said chamber and air outlet holes at the bottom portion of said chamber. 